Drive for shallow water boats



April 28, '1942. E. JOHNSON DRIVE FOR SHALLOW WATER BOATS Filed May 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/ III/ I I/ll April 28, 1942. E. JOHNSON DRIVE FOR SHALLOW WATER BOATS Filed May 23, 1939 2 Sheets$heet 2 Patented Apr. 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIVE FOR SHALLOW WATER BOATS Emil Johnson, Salt Lake City, Utah Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,191

4 Claims.

My invention relates to inboard driven boats and more particularly to those boats most adaptable for use in shallow water, such as for duck hunting and the like, and has for its object to provide a direct drive from the motor fly wheel to the drive shaft by a belt drive, eliminating much expense and many parts.

A further object is to provide a shallow water boat utilizing a new worm type of driving screw which is pivotally attached to be elevated by the contact with the bottom of the lake, stream or body of water on which it is being used so that the driving screw will raise up to and even with the top level of the lake bottom without any danger of clogging, or killing the motor from overloading.

A still further object is to provide a new type of coupling for driving a screw from an inboard motor, with the coupling pivotal and adjustable and being adapted to drive freely and smoothly deriving greater power from a given horse power motor than is possible where clutches, reduction gears and the like are used, the drive in my device being direct by a V type belt.

A still further object is to provide a new and novel assembly for use in shallow water boats, which assembly may be made as a unit and by cutting a slot from the bottom of the boat and a portion of the transom from the rear of the boat.

This assembly may be inserted in any boat providing a greater scope for its use. With this assembly any flat bottomed boat or shallow water boat may be provided with an inboard motor drive.

These and other objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views and as described in the specification a part of this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which I have shown my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of a boat, driven by my inboard method.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the driving channel and mounting parts of my drive being shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a view of my drive shaft, the flexible mounting being partially sectioned.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of my driving shaft mechanism and mounting.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the assembly unit shown installed in a flat bottom shallow water boat, the section showing centrally through the unit but with the drive shown in elevation.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the assembly housing with the drive and rudder removed.

In the drawings I have shown the boat as A, in which a gasoline motor B is mounted. Longitudinally in the back of the boat I cut a slot and in this slot I mount my drive channel C. The channel 0 consists of sides 5, spaced apart by a front plate I and at the rear by a widened well 6. The entire assembly is then secured to the boat by riveting or screwing the flanges along the sides of the channel C to the bottom of the boat and up the rear transom 30. Suitable marine glue is placed along the flanges to prevent leaks thereunder. The top of the channel is closed by a longitudinal cover and the end I is provided with a hole la therethrough in which the drive shaft housing I I is carried with the drive mechanism D mounted inside the boat. This is done by attaching a rectangular frame 8 to the front side of the end plate 1 and setting a rubber sheet R between the plate and frame 8. On the front side of the frame 8 there are two bearings H) which carry stub shafts II of a cylindrical drive housing l2. This housing I2 has the end formed with a flange l3 and inside the housing I place a set of thrust bearings mounted in a single casing shown as I 4 holding it onto the drive shaft l8 by a forward collar 20. The collar 20 is secured on the shaft by a set screw. A washer I5 is set in the housing I2 back of the bearing I 4 and the inner face of the housing back of the washer is internally threaded to receive a threaded sleeve Hi. This sleeve is secured or welded onto a shaft tube or housing I! and the space in the tube surrounding the shaft 18 is filled with suitable lubricant to eliminate further need of oiling the device. The rear end of the shaft is threaded at I8a to receive a driving worm C. A bearing 25 is mounted in the extreme end of the housing tube I! through which the rear end of the driving shaft I8 is passed. When assembled in this manner it makes a complete drive shaft pivotally mounted in the frame 8 between the walls of the channel C. The drive screw-S is provided with a screw flange 26 which is formed in a special Weedless form with the forward face 21 sloping so that when the screw engages a mass of weeds or the like it will screw through them without clogging or killing the motor. Onto the front end of the shaft I8 I provide a sheave wheel 21 by a set screw passed through the hub thereof engaging the end of the shaft and this sheave wheel is driven by a sheave wheel 22 on the motor shaft of the motor B with a V-type belt 23 driving the sheave wheel 2| from the sheave wheel 22. Around the tube I1 near the screw S I provide a guard T which is formed to engage any surface and aid in raising the screw thereover, and at the same time to be used as a guide when using the device in soft mud on a lake bottom. The guard T is secured onto the sleeve by a clamp sleeve 33 secured by suitable bolts or screws. A guide member as is mounted between the walls 5 of the channel C to prevent the drive shaft housing from side motion and at the same time to limit the depth to which the screw may operate. The transom 36 of the boat has a rudder 33 mounted to guide the boat, said rudder being pivoted on a shaft 34 so that when the rudder strikes the bottom of the lake it will tilt up without breaking or causing a drag on the boat. The stub shaft is passed between sides 32 of the rubber mounting and the sides 32 are attached to a vertical shaft 3! carried in spaced apart bearings 3! with a handle 3% by which the shaft and therefore the rudder, is turned to guide the boat.

In Figure 5 of the drawings I have shown the drive screw elevated part way from its lowermost position to show its adaptability but the screw may be to its lowest limits when the tube I1 is resting on the bottom of the guide member 39'. may be elevated into the well E5 above the water level and a different type of screw used in the event that high speeds are desired. This shows the adaptability of the device. With the screw mounted as shown it will drive a boat in water deep enough to float it without any loss of power. It will be obvious that any boat may then be converted into an inboard power boat by simply cutting a slot along the bottom at the rear and part way up the. transom and securing my assembly therein. Any power motor may be employed and applicant does not intend that he must use a gasoline motor for other motors may be employed. Such modifications as this may be made and other similar modifications may be made in the constructions as are covered by the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim:

1. In a shallow water drive for boats the combination of a channel member fitted over a slot in the bottom and rear of a boat; a casting secured to the inner end of said channel member If it is desired to change the screw it having bearings formed on two sides thereof; a flexible packing mounted between the casting and channel member; a drive shaft housing having extended stub shafts on each side to fit into said bearings; a cylindrical housing for the drive shaft secured in said drive shaft housing with the end closed by a bearing; a drive shaft passed through both housings and with the rear end extending through said bearing with the space between the housing and shaft packed full of grease; a worm type propeller having the forward end of the worm slanting to screw through or over obstructions; bearings in the forward end of said shaft housing to guide the drive shaft; a sheave wheel mounted on the forward end of said drive shaft within the boat; a stationary motor mounted in the boat; and a belt driving the shaft sheave from the drive sheave of the motor. I

2. In a shallow water drive for beats the combination of a channel member having vertical sidewalls with one end closed by a perforate plate and the other end terminating in diverging walls to form a well, with the top of the channel member closed along the top back to the well with the top of the well open; a casting secured to the inner end of said channel member over said end plate; a flexible packing mounted between the casting and end plate; bearings formed on opposite sides of said casting; a drive shaft housing having extended stub shafts on each side mounted in said bearings; a drive shaft carried in said housing; a worm type propeller, having the forward end of the worm slanting to screw over obstacles and through mud, mounted to rotate on the end of said drive shaft; a sheave wheel mounted on the other end of said drive shaft within the boat; a stationary motor mounted in the boat; and a belt driving the sheave wheel from the motor substantially as described.

3. A device as set out in claim 2 including means to prevent the drive shaft from dropping too low in the water.

4. A device of the class described comprising a channel member formed of vertical sidewalls diverging at their rear end into a well; a closure on the top of said channel; a perforate plate closing the front end of said channel; flanges formed along all edges of the channel walls and well by which the channel may be secured to a boat in and covering an elongated slot cut in the bottom and rear end of the boat.

EMIL JOHNSON. 

